1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a locking hub system for a vehicle; it applies to vacuum, pressure or manual operation; it encompasses an integral member that provides a live spindle, hub and clutch housing as well as the provision for a manual override applicable to normal vacuum or pressure actuation.
2. Background of the Invention
Locking hubs for four wheel drive vehicles are available in many different design configurations. Such configurations include direct manual clutch engagement, remote vacuum clutch engagement, and remote pressure clutch engagement. Depending on circumstances, it is desirable to provide these various configurations for either live spindle or dead spindle wheel hub designs and to provide the remote vacuum and remote pressure clutch designs with a direct manual override, e.g. in instances of remote control failure. It is furthermore desirable to provide these numerous alternative locking hub designs with minimum alteration of the basic composition, i.e., it is desirable to have maximum interchangeability of the basic components.
Many patents have been issued covering individual systems of various ones of these design configurations. Examples of known systems are disclosed in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,460 to Ueno, issued Jun. 16, 1981, discloses a live spindle (as that term is used herein) and a manually operated clutch. U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,512 to Clohessy (assigned to the assignee hereof), issued Dec. 9, 1986, discloses a dead spindle and a remote vacuum air operated automatic hub clutch. U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,061 to Brown, issued Oct. 6, 1981, discloses various remote controlled hub lock systems including mechanical actuation and fluid pressure actuation. These are but a few examples of the many patents covering locking hub systems for part time four wheel drive systems.
Each of the systems of these patents disclose a complex design or designs having a specific type of actuation and which are dedicated to a specific design configuration. The present invention provides in part the benefit of a basic system having numerous alternate design configurations.